


I Will Not Bow

by xantissa



Series: Carnival of Rust [9]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Fix-It, Gen, Implied Murder, Implied Torture, Original Characters - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-21
Updated: 2013-06-21
Packaged: 2017-12-15 17:10:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/851969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xantissa/pseuds/xantissa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During one short conversation with the recently awakened member of Khan’s crew, Spock discovers some shocking truths about Khan’s time in captivity.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Will Not Bow

**Author's Note:**

> I warned there will be a lot about Khan’s crew. There are also going to be many implied pairings. It’s still all about Khan, don’t you worry.
> 
> PS: I know this part is short so I will post the next one soon.

Katya, the recently awakened member of Khan’s crew was sitting alone in one of the rec rooms. She sat at the table nearest one of the few viewing ports and stared into the blackness of space with a detached look to her face. She looked to be much more in control than the first time Spock saw her.

 

As much as he was loathed to admit it, that raw display of suffering had intrigued him. Not only her, but Khan had also looked devastated, as if their emotions bounced off each other and magnified. It was improbable for all that they were enhanced, the base model was still human, psi null.

 

And yet...

 

“Hello.” He called quietly, unwilling to startle her.

 

She startled any way.

 

“Oh. Um, hello. You must be the Vulcan. Mr. Spock, right?”

 

He gave a small nod, taking that as invitation to approach and evaluate the woman when she wasn’t partially blue in cryosleep or half insane with grief and pain. She really was uncommonly beautiful. Red hair falling in soft curls down her back, large pale green eyes, very pale skin, perfect symmetry to her face, no visible defects or scarring, taller than an average woman, roughly as tall as the Captain. Spock estimated that should he test her intelligence, reflexes and strength, all would test above average. There was a very noticeable resemblance between Khan and Katya, some of their genes probably had the same origin. It would make sense. If the scientists of the Eugenics War achieved a successful method it would stand to reason they would use what already worked instead of developing an completely new ‘ _recipe’_.

 

“Yes. It’s a pleasure to meet you in... better circumstances.” He agreed trying to be as diplomatic as possible. While they needed to get more information from her, especially about Khan, it wouldn’t do to look as if they’d tried to interrogate her while she was still vulnerable.

 

She furrowed her brows, obviously trying to place him.

 

“I was present in the sickbay when you were revived.” He offered.

 

She looked startled, her eyes widened for a moment before she regained control over herself.

 

“I didn’t notice you.”

 

Spock hesitated, unsure if his next question was proper.

 

“May I enquire about the reason of your distress?”

 

Her expression turned incredulous. Her eyes were startlingly pale, but for all the physical similarities to her leader she seemed as different as day and night from him. They expected Khan’s crew to be like him, genetically perfect, arrogant and aggressive, dangerously intelligent, cold. This, her, was throwing a serious wrench in their expectations.

 

“You don’t know then?” She asked.

 

“Don’t know what exactly?”

 

She looked at him for a long moment, her eyes almost as piercing as Khan’s grey ones. In moments of such intense focus their common ancestors were shockingly obvious.

 

He could tell she was still vulnerable, shaken and just barely in control of the grief he couldn’t quite understand the reason for. He was aware that using that to receive honest answers to his question wasn’t exactly morally accepted. However the need to assure safety of his crew outweighed the need to act courteously towards their guest.

 

“How many cryotubes are there left?” she asked, her voice oddly hollow.

 

“With you and Khan already awake, there are seventy one left to find.”

 

Her already pale skin seemed to drain of all color, her lips becoming almost grey and Spock found himself reaching towards her shoulder to stop her from falling should she faint, which seemed remarkably probable now.

 

“Oh.” She whispered and closed her eyes, where tears were already starting to fall.

 

“I don’t understand?”

 

She stood up suddenly, her body tense with the effort not to break down in front of him.

 

“Counting our General, there were exactly one hundred cryotubes on our ship Mr. Spock.” Her eyes were shining with unshed tears but her voice was strong, rage and grief almost palpable, emanating from her in waves. “Only seventy three survived Admiral Marcus’ experiments.” She started shaking. “I was awake and aware as his so called doctors vivisected my bonded mate.” Her voice hitched. “So were a lot of us.”

 

With that she pushed past him and rapidly left the rec room, footsteps light and quiet through the almost empty ship.

 

Spock stood unmoving for a long time, her words echoing in his mind.

 

Twenty seven people were sacrificed for Admiral Marcus’ thirst for power and war. To find out how the augmentations were made, but also likely as a psychological torture for Khan. For all his arrogance and utter lack of conscience, he was remarkably loyal to his crew. Having to witness their torture and death must have been sheer agony especially since Katya confirmed what Spock had suspected. That Khan and his people possessed some form of latent psi ability.

 

Those facts explained a lot about Khan’s actions, of his unbridled hate and anger. It wasn’t merely anger at being used. It was a very real, very deep psychological trauma that was left untreated and possibly deepened by continued threats and demands from both Marcus and then the crew of Enterprise. Those facts changed things considerably both concerning Khan and how Spock predicted him to act as well as the mental and physical health of his crew.

 

The end

11-06-2013


End file.
